Process of recovering adsorbed material from adsorptive material



Feb. 15, 1927. 1,617,960

- G. MULLER PROCESS OF RECOVERING ADSORBED MATERIAL FROM ADSORPTIVE MATERIAL Filed Feb. 6. 1925 75 Condenser Excess #872??? are 6a.: Genamfar tained Patented Feb. 15, 1927.

1,17,960 ATENT Y enone Human, or FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN, ennmany, assrenon. rro amnnrcm LUBGI conron'arrou, on NEW YORK, n. 'Y., A eonrona'rron or new YORK.

PROCESS OI REOOVERING ADSORBED MATERIAL FROM ADSORPTIVE MATERIAL.

Application filed February 6, 1925. Serial No. 7,430.

It is known that substances adsorbed by adsorption ,materials such as active carbon, silicic acid gel, alumina and the like, may be recovered by externally heating regenerating chambers, whereby the adsorption material is simultaneously reconditioned for use.

- With the heating means up to now usually employed for this purpose, however, the temperature of the gases of combustion is so high that a material chemical change of adsorbed substances to be recovered cannot be avoided. Also difficulties are encountered in regard to the apparatus used ,so that an economical recovery of the adsorbed substances by means of external heating is not easily attainable.

vAccording to the present invention, the disadvantages incident to the usual regeneration by means of external heating are obviated by applying only so much heat as is necessary. to, expel the adsorbed substances.

The new'process avoids an excessive me-' chanical as well as an excessive chemical action upon the material to be regenerated and the regenerating apparatus itself.

The required temperature of the heating gases for theexternalheating may be obin any suitable manner. very simple source of external heat is provided wherever it is possible to use waste gases having exactly the required temperature. However, whenever the external-heat must be provided by special means or must be derived from waste gases having a temperature in excess of thatrequired, it has been found advantageous to circulate the heating gases in such away that the hot gas is diluted 'with gas previously used .for heating. By

means of such-a circulating system it ispossible to control the temperature as well as the composition of the heating gases without detrimentally affecting the heat effect upon the regeneration. It is particularly possible,

in this way, to economically produce an oxygen-free heating gas of low temperature, by conductlngthe combustion at a high temperature andg with a minimum excess of air and by mixing with these heating gases, be-

fore they enter the regenerating apparatus,

a. quantity of gas from the circulating systiire.

tem suliicient to obtain the desired tempera- The production of gas of lowoxygen content has also the advantage that part of the gas already used for externally heating the regenerating apparatus may be used for. other purposes for which the use of an inert gas substantially free from oxygen is advantageousl Thus it is possible to pass a small portion of this gas through the'material to .material to beregenerated to effect a combined external and internal heating. As is understood, these gases may also be heated before they are passed through the adsorption material. For the internal heating, as is evident, may also be used other gases of suitable temperature and composition.

. The industries making use of adsorption material often need larger quantities of inat gases to protect highly volatile or highly combustible substances against contact with air or other gases. Also for that purpose may the gas produced in accordance with the invention be used to advantage. The expenses of specially producingthe protecting gases are thereby eliminated.

The drawing 1s a more or less diagrammatic representation of a device according to the invention.

The adsorption material falls from above into the regenerating chamber 1. The rooflike partition 2 distributes the material and at the same time forms a gas space 3. The material passes in relatively thin layers downwardly between the heated walls of the ducts 4 whereby the adsorbed substances are driven off and may then be withdrawn from the gas space 3 through a pipe 16 to a suitable condensing apparatus. I The regenerated material passes through the outlet 5. A roof-like partition 6 above the outlet together with" the conical form of the bottom'of the chamber 1 effects a substantially uniform rate of movement of the material through the chamber. The partition 6 also defines a gas space 7 into which 2 gas mav be conducted through a pipe 14'.

The heating system for carrying out the principal object of the invention is preferablv as follows The gas is assumed to be generated. by a no special gas generator 8. The principal featureis a circulating system containing the chamber 3. and a pressuredevice 9 and preferably a jet device 12. The pressure device rial from adsorptive material, which com- 9 circulates gas under a definite pressure throi gh the heating .ducts 4 of the chamber 1;- e gas generator is connec'tedto the circulating system adjacent the injector 12 so that the heating gas is sucked into it and passed through the chamber 1 together with circulating gas.-

The excess gas escapes through a valved conduit 15. The gas generator, the pressure device and the valve of the. conduit may be accurately adjusted to produce the required heat in the chamber.

lit is understood that there is considerable latitude in regard to the mode of replenishing the heat ofthe circulating'system.

Instead of maintaining the temperature by means of gas from a generator, the heat may be supplied indirectly by means of superheaterg recuperator or other well known means for that purpose.

The excess gas incident to the use ofa gas generator may be advantageously disposed of for the purpose of eflecting a comined external and internal heating. As indicated in the drawing, a conduit 14 may branch of? from the circulating system to pass gas into and through the material to be regenerated, The gas passes through conduit 14 into the gas space 7 and then through the material to the gas space 3. The gas may'thus be used for internal heating or-also for the purpose'ofmore quickly carrying ed the gas driven ofi from the adsorption material. lnpcase the gas entering throughthe conduit '14 is to be heated, a

superheater, recuperator or any other equivalent device may be applied for that purpose, or heating gas may be passed directly from the gas generator into the conduit through a valve controlled pipe1-=17-,' as'indi I cated, so as to control the'temp'erature of teria the gas passing throughthe' adsorption maexcess gas may be utilized for other purposes,- as-for instance, for protection purposes-as heretoforementioned.

.'-. lhe process is applicable also when the adsorption material is not moved in the generating chamber, but: is at rest. It is feasible to periodically replace the regeneratiofichamber by another or to periodically the adsorptive material.

aeraeeo shift the gas intake and out-take to other containers. i

What-I claim is:

1. Process of recovering adsorbed material from adsorptive material as defined in claim 1 in which the fresh heating gases are at a temperature in excess of that required for the expulsion of the adsorbed material from the adsorptive material and in which said fresh heating gases are mixed with the circulating gases in such proportions as to produce a mixture of the desired temperature.

3. Process of recovering adsorbed material from adsorptive material as defined in claim 1 in which the fresh heating gases are products of combustion at a temperature inexcess of that required-for the expulsion of the adsorbed material from the adsorptive material.

4.'Process of recovering adsorbed mate rial from, adsorpt-ive material as defined inlclaiml in which at least a part of the circulating gases are contacted directly with v 5 Process of recovering adsorbed material from adsorptive material as defined in claim 1 in which the circulating gases are used for externally heatingthe adsorptive material and in which at least a part of the gases withdrawn from the path are passed into direct contact with the adsorptive material;

6. 'Process of recovering adsorbed material from adsorptive material as defined in 7 claim 1, in which the circulating uses are used for indirectly heating the a sorptive material and in which at least a part of v the gases withdrawn from'jthe j path are heated and passed through and in direct contact with theadsorptive material.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORG MfiLLERL 

